Tape puller



June 7, 1932. w. s PRITCHARD 1,851,582

TAPE (FULLER 0 Filed April v, 1928 Patented dune 7, i232 lhdlhdd? treatWILLIAM S. PRITD, F MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNQR T0 TBANS-LUKDAYLIGHT PICTURE SCREEN CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y., A. CORPO 1'DELAWARE TAPE :PULLIFJR Application filed April 7,

This invention relates to an apparatus for feeding tape and moreparticularly to an apparatus for feeding or pulling tape intermittentlyejected from a data-recording machine through a projection system.

Apparatus has been devised whereby the tape ejected from adata-recording device may be fed across a table or other support fromwhich images of the data on the tape 19 may be obtained upon a screen.The apparatus heretofore used included a feeding or pulling meanscontrolled by the tension in the tape. 1 have found that I am able toobtain a satisfactory feeding of the tape and a satisfactory projectionby controlling the feed mechanism independently of the tape and throughthe data-recording device.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a tape feedingmechanism adapted so to be used in a data-recording-projection-systerncontrolled by the data-recording means and independent of the tape.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tape feedingmechanism including means to increase the speed of the feeding mechanismwhen the tape has not been taken up or fed through the apparatus asrapidly as delivered, said feeding mechanism being controlled throughthe data-recording device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tape feedingmechanism controlled by the data-recording device through a switch-likemechanism which does not operate said feeding mechanism until a preasdetermined loop of tape is formed.

Further objects will appear from the following description, appendedclaims and the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention andshowing the data-recording device and the projection systemdiagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram showing the connection of the partsillustrating the oporation of the device.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference numerals designate likeparts, the reference numeral 1 designates a data-recording devicemounted on a suitable base 2. This 59 data-recording device may be thestandard 1928. Serial Ito. 268,182.

'Western Union ticker and, since the details thereof do not form anessential part of this invention, further description thereof is heredeemed unnecessary.

A tape 3 printed in the data-recording device is intermittently ejectedtherefrom forming a loop 4. The ejected tape 3 is pulled or fed by meansof a feed mechanism across a transparent support, such as a glass table5. When in position on the support, images of the data or other indiciaon the tape are obtained, by means of a projection system 6, on a screen7. If necessary, mirrors or reflectors 8 may be used to transmit ordirect the rays or beams of light into proper position. The details ofthe projection system, since they, too, do not form an essential art ofthis invention, are not here described.

The feeding mechanism which draws the tape from the loop 4 adjacent theticker across the projection table comprises a guide roll 9, a feedingor pulling roll 10 and a pressure roll 11 mounted in cooperativerelation with said pulling roll. The pulling roll 10 may have a knurledperiphery and is connected to a motor 12 through a worm and gear (notshown), whereby the motion of the motor 12 is transmitted to the pullingroll 10.

Mounted at any suitable place on the machine, and preferably on the gearcasing 13 I by means of screws 14, is a contact or switch element 15having an insulated portion 16 and conductive portion 17. A bell-cranklever 18 is pivotally mounted on a pin 19 so that one arm 20 thereof isnormal]. in con- 5 tact with the insulated portion 16 o the contactelement. The other arm 21 of the bellcrank lever 18 is mounted adjacenta sole noid 22 of the plunger type and connected thereto through a link23 for reasons hereinafter explained. As stated above, the arm 20 of thehell-crank lever 18 is normally in position on the insulated portion ofsaid segment. This may be accomplished by connecting the end of the arm21 to a spring 24 which will continually urge it upward. It, however,may be made to assume this position by various other means. Forinstance, the center of gravity of the bell-crank lever may be made tobe at such a point that it 3w @ili will normally tend to keep the arm inposition on the insulated portion. The plunger 25 of the solenoid 22 isattached to a dash pot 26 of any well-known construction and itsfunction will become apparent from the operation of the machine givenhereinafter.

On the loop of tape 4, there rides a spring contact member 27 which,when the loop has increased to a predetermined size, separates fromanother spring contact member 28 and opens the shunt field circuit 29aof the motor, whereby the speed ofsaid motor is increased. An adjustableresistance 29 may be connected across the shunt field circuit 29a.

In the operation of the machine, the ticker 1, as it prints andejectsthe tape therefrom, through its press arm 30, makes and breaks acircuit including the solenoid 22. These impulses cause the plunger 25in the solenoid .to move downward, attracting and pulling with it thearm 21 of the bell-crank lever 18.

Due to the arrangement of the arms, the arm 20 is caused to advanceacross the insulated portion 16 on to the conductive portion 17 of thecontact element. When the arm 20 is on the conducting portion 17, acircuit is closed (see Figure 2), and the motor operated whereby itsmotion is transmitted to the tape pulling or feeding roll.

The insulated portion. 16 is made of such a size that it requiresseveral impulses to advance the arm 20 to the conductive portion -17Since the motor mechanism is not operating during these impulses, thetape ejected from the ticker forms the loop 4. In

other words, the mechanism forms a loop prior to starting the operationof the pulling mechanism.

If, during the operation, the tape is ejected from the ticker fasterthan it is taken up or pulled through the apparatus, the loop 4:

increases in size and, accordingly, the contact 27 separates from thecontact 28, whereby the shunt field circuit of the motor is opened.

This causes the motor to speed up and the pulling or feeding mechanismto operate faster. This circuit remains open so long as the loop switchis open. When the loop has become shortened or smaller in size, thecontacts 27 and 28 reengage thereby closing the shunt field motorcircuit and allowing the motor to run at its usual and normal rate ofspeed. The resistance 29 inserted in the motor field circuit is anadjustable one and fby adjusting it the increase of the speed of themotor may be manually'contrciled. at will.

In operation, if the ticker should stop oper ating and the circuitopened, the spring 23 pulling upward on the arm 21 of the hellcranklever would tend to move the arm 20 from the conducting portion 1'? tothe insu' lated portion 16. This movement, however, is greatly retardedby the action of the dash pot 26 to which one end of the plunger 25 oftaseneae the solenoid 22 is attached. Due to this construction, the rateof movement of the arm 20 is so adjusted that the loop formed prior tothe operation of the motor mechanism is drawn out as the arm is urged toits normal position on the insulation.

To prevent the intermittent jerky motion of the tape as it leaves theticker. from being transmitted to the tape on the table, I may dispose atension device adjacent the end of the table next the ticker so as tomaintain the tape resiliently in contact therewith. This tension deviceis exemplified by a curved or J-shaped spring 31 supported by a bracket32 and acting as a brake on the tape by contacting therewith. TheJ-spring 31 may contact with any portion of the tape, but I prefer tohave it contact with the tape at its middle portion. The braking actionof this member is suflicient to prevent the tape from being pushed alongthe table by the same force which ejects it from the ticker, but isinsufficient to prevent the tape from being msm.

I donot limit myself to the exact details of construction abovedescribed except as defined in the claims, since it will be obvious toany one skilled in the art that various modifications -may be madewithout departing from the nature of the invention. For instance,instead of having the circuit through the switch and the motor operatingcontinuously, it may be formed through the ticker press arm and operatethe motor in syn'chro-. nism with the ticker. Also various switch andcontact elements different from the one herein specifically describedmay be used and various means may be used to maintain the arm 20 on theinsulation 16.

Ordinarily, when practicing my invention, the tape is drawn through aprojection field or projection system. It shall be understood, however,that my invention is not to be thus limited since, as well, the tape maybe drawn along a path so arranged that said tape may he directly viewed.Therefore, in the appended claims, the term projection system shall beunderstood as generically comprehending a projection field, observationregion, or the like.

I claim:

1. In combination, a data-recording device adapted to eject a tapetherefrom, a tape pulling mechanism for feeding said ejected tapethrough a-projection system, said mechanism comprising a pulling roll,means for rotating said rcll, said means including a motor mechanism,means having conductive and nonconductive portions, a bell-crank lever,said bell-crank lever having one .arm normally in contact with thenon-conductive means, a solenoid operating on the other arm of saidlever andcontrolled by the data-record- Eng the first-mentioned arm willbe advanced on to the conductive portion and the motor operated.

2. In combination, a ticker adapted to eject a tape therefrom, a tapepulling mechanism for feeding said tape through a projection system,said mechanism comprising a V pulling roll, means for rotating saidroll, said means including a motor mechanism, means having conductiveand non-conductive portions, a bell-crank lever, said bell-crank leverhaving one arm normally in contact with the non-conductive portion, asolenoid operating on the other arm of said lever and controlled by theticker mechanism, whereby the first-mentioned arm will be advanced ontothe conductive portion and the motor operated, and means to increase thespeed of the motor.

3. In combination, a ticker adapted to eject a tape therefrom, a tapepulling mechanism for feeding said tape through a projection system,said mechanism comprising a pulling roll, means for rotating said roll,said means includin a motor mechanism, means having conductive andnon-conductive portions, a bell-crank lever, said bell-crank leverhaving one arm normally in contact with the non-conductive means, asolenoid operating on the other arm of said lever and controlled by theticker mechanism, whereby the firstmentioned arm will be advanced on tothe conductive portion andthe motor operated,

and means to increase the speed of the motor, I

said last named means being controlled by the tape being fed. 7

4. In combination, a ticker adapted to eject a tape therefrom, and meansfor feeding said tape through a projection system, said feeding meanscomprising a motor mechanism, a watch element havmg conductive andnon-conduct1ve portions, a bell-crank lever, a

spring for normally maintaining one arm of" said bell-crank lever incontact with said non-conductive portion, a solenoid of the plunger typecontrolled by said ticker, said plunger connected at one end to theother arm of said lever, whereby the first-mentioned arm will beadvanced on to the conductive portion and the motor operated when theticker operates, and means for retarding the action of said spring whenthe ticker stops operating.

5. In combination, a ticker adapted to arm of said bell-crank lever incontact with,

said non-conductive portion, a solenoid of the plunger type controlledby said ticker, said plunger connected at one end to the other arm ofsaid lever, whereby the firstmentioned arm willbe advanced on to theconductive portion and the motor operated when the ticker operates,means for retarding the action of said spring when the ticker stopsoperating, and means to increase the speed of the motor mechanism, saidlast named'means being controlled by the tape.

7 The combination with a device for printing characters on a tape, ofmeans operating substantially at constant s d for moving said tapethrough a projection field, and means for substantially changing theoperative speed of said means in accordance with the rate at which thetape is ejected from said device.

8. The combination with a device for printing characters on a tape, of amotoropcrating substantially at constant s ed for moving said tapethrough a projectlon field, and means for substantially increasing theoperating speed of said motor, said means being operated in response tothe accumulation of tape between said device and said projection field.

9. The combination with a device for printing characters on a tape, of amotor operating substantially at constant speed for moving said tapethrough a projection field,

and means for substantially increasing the eject atape therefrom, meansfor feeding said tape through a projection system, said feeding meanscomprising a motor mechanism, a switch element having conductive andnon-conductive portions, a bell-crank lever, a spring for normallymaintaining one arm of said bell-crank lever in contact,

with said non-conductive portion, a solenoid of the plunger typecontrolled by said ticker, said plunger connected at one end to theother arm of said lever, whereby the firstmentioned arm will be advancedon to the

